It’s dinnertime and you’re hungry, but the idea of cooking just for you is discouraging. Sick of spaghetti? Tired of doing higher math to figure out how to scale down recipes for four?
Before you pick up the phone to order take-out or search the freezer for a frozen dinner entree, read this. You can make yourself a flavorful meal quickly and easily.
These techniques make cooking for one a snap:
Learn to love your saute pan. It’s perfect for individual-sized meals like a single steak, fish filet or chicken breast. Make a zesty sauce, steam some asparagus or green beans, and dinner is served. You can also saute the veggies in the pan for a one-pot meal that is tasty and easy to clean up.
Quick-cook methods like grilling, broiling and high-heat roasting are perfect for solo cooks because they deliver fantastic flavor, fast.
Another great method for solo chefs is cooking en papillote. The technique has a fancy French name, but it’s simple: Wrap a bunch of food in aluminum foil or parchment paper and pop it in the oven. You can make fish or chicken together with veggies in a single-serving sized packet. When you’re done you don’t have any pots to scrub — you just throw out the paper or foil.
The idea of en papillote is to steam food in its own juices. Wrap the meat or veggies tightly, forming a seal that locks in moisture and flavor, and then bake it (you can even do this in a toaster oven).
You can use different combinations of meats, vegetables and herbs, and even add some wine or lemon juice to the packet for more flavor.
Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service
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